Perkins , George , 1892-1979 , orthopaedic surgeon

George Perkins was born in Staines, Middlesex, in 1892. He was educated at Hurstpierpoint College, Sussex, and Hertford College, Oxford. He studied medicine at Oxford, and St Thomas' Hospital, London. He was awarded his degree in 1916. He joined the RAMC and was posted to East Africa as the medical officer to the 3rd King's African Rifles, with the rank of Captain. He was awarded the Military Cross for his services in East Africa. He returned to St Thomas' Hospital as House Surgeon, and was appointed to the Military Orthopaedic Hospital, Hammersmith, in 1919. He was appointed Senior Medical Officer at Shepherd's Bush Orthopaedic Hospital, in 1920. He became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, in 1921, and was elected honorary assistant surgeon to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital. He returned to St Thomas' Hospital as Chief Assistant to the Orthopaedic Department in 1923, and became Assistant Surgeon of the Department, in 1926. Perkins was recalled to the Army in 1939, where he served in the Casualty Clearing Stations in France until 1940, when he was invalided because of serious illness. He began to write his book on fractures at this time and after his convalescence he worked at Queen Mary's Hospital, Roehampton. He became President of the British Orthopaedic Association. He returned to St Thomas' in 1946, and became head of the Orthopaedic Department, a role he continued even when he was appointed Professor of Surgery in the London University at St Thomas' Hospital, in 1948 until 1954. He retired as head of the Orthopaedic department of St Thomas's in 1957. He died in 1979.